Tray for egg-cases.



J. B. WARREN.

TRAY FOREGG GASES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.13,1918.

Patented May 26, 1914.

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J. B. WARREN.

TRAY FOR EGG CASES. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13. 1913.

Patented May 26, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

- r K A6 Inventor: Jbhnfl. Warre oneo UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I JOHN B. WARREN, OF BOLTON, MASSACHUSETTS; ASSIGNOR TO BROADFIELDPOULTRY FARM, INCORPORATED, OF BOLTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMASSA- cnusn'rrs TRAY ro-n EGG-CASES;

Patented May 26, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,'J0HN B. WARREN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Bolton, in the county of Worcesterand Stateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new'and useful Improvements in.Trays for Egg-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to trays for egg cases or crates and'hasfor its ob ect the provision of a'device of thls class that, whilecollapsible, is so constructed that the eggs are centrally positioned inthe various pockets, each egg being entirely removed from the walls ofthe pocket, thereby preventing injury to the eggs during transportation.

The invention consists in providing each egg receiving ocket with meansextending across the poo et for retaining the egg suspended free fromcontact with either wall and immovable lengthwise of said pocket.

\ The invention further consists in certain novel features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts which will be readily understoodbvreference to the description of the drawings and to the claimshereinafter ven.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 representsa plan of an egg case containing atray embodying the features of thepresent invention. Fig. 2 represents apartial vertical section of the same, the cutting plane being on line2-2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a partial vertical section of the same,the cuting strips for positioning the larger end of the e g. Fig. 7represents an elevation of %the inclined strips for positioning thesmaller end of the egg, and Fig. 8 represents a sectional detail showingthe means for interlocking the two partition members.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figuresof the drawmgs.

In the drawings, 10 represents an egg case containing a tray composed ofa plurality of paralleLpartition members 11 having interlocked therewitha plurality of other artition members 12, these partition mem ers 11 and12 being shown in elevation in Figs.

at and 5 of the drawings, and are preferably constructed of pasteboardor some similar material. Each partition member 12 is'provided with a,pluralityof peculiarly shaped slits 13 in the bottom edge thereof, eachof these slits being so constructed as to form a projection 14: which isadapted to enter a perforation 15 in one of the partitionmembers 11 toposition and interlock the series of partition members 12 to thepartitions 11 at right angles therewith. When the two series ofpartition members 11 and 12 are thus positioned and interlocked aplurality of egg receiving pockets is formed. It is obvious that whenforming the tray the upper portions of the partitions 12 arepositioned-in the vertical slots 16 formed in the upper edge of "thepartition members 11. This construction of a tray forms no part of thepresent invention, it being an ordinary construction now in general use.The partitions 11 and 12 are, however, made somewhat wider than thepartitions now in general use so that the walls of the pockets formed bythe interlocking partition members 11 and 12 will extend beyond the endsof any egg positioned therein. The partition members 11 are providedalso with additional slits 17 in the upper edges thereof, theseslits orincisions 17 being adapted to receive a plurality of yielding strips 18.Two of theseslits 17 are formed in each partition 11 intermediate eachpair of slits or incisions 16, each slit 17 being located relative to aslit '16 adjacent thereto so that when the strips 18 have been insertedtherein it would be impossible to bend said strip18 sufficiently toextend to the partitions 12 located in said slits 16. Each of the strips18 is provided inits lower edge with a plurality of notches 19, theinner edge of which contacts with the inner end of the slits 17 Thesenotches assist in positioning the strips 18 while providing for slightendwise movement thereof when the eggs 20 are inserted in the eggreceiving pockets of the tray between two of said strips 17.Intermediate the slits or incisions 13 formed in the lower portion ofthestrips 12 are two inclined slits 21 the lower ends of which are nearertogether than the upper ends thereof as clearly indicated in Fig. 5 ofthe drawings. These slits 21 are adapted to receive the strips 22 shownin strips 18 and 22 are preferably made of paste board or some similarmaterial. It 1s obvious that by inserting the strips 18 lnto the slits17, in the partition members 11, and the strips g2 in the inclined slits21 of the partition members 12,- the said strips 18 and 22 arepositioned at right angles to each other as clearly shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings. The separation of each pair of strips 22 is less than thatof each pa1r of strips 18, the two series of strips extend ng acrosseach egg receiving pocket at right angles to each other. When the egg 1s1nserted in either of the egg receiving pockets the smaller end thereofis forced downwardly between the strips 22 slightly curving themoutwardly as indicated at 23 in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the distancebetween the lower edges of the strips being less than the diameter ofthe smaller end of the eggs. The smaller end of the egg in this manneris positioned above the lower edge of the partitions 11 and '12 as shownin F igs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

In introducing the eggs into the pockets the larger ends of the eggs areforced between the strips 18 curving them outwardly as indicated at 24in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This lateral curvature 2 1 tendsto preventany movement of the egg 20 lengthwise of the strips 18 while it isself-evident that the strips 18 will prevent any movement of the egg atright angles to the length of said strips. These strips 18 alsoaccommodate themselves vertically to the curvature of the larger end ofthe egg as indicated at 25 in Fig. 2 of the drawings, thus preventingany movement of the egg upwardly. The result is that when the egg 20 isforced into the end of the egg receiving pockets it is so held by thecurvatures in the strips 18 and 22 that it will be suspended centrallyof each pocket and removed from the walls thereof while any movementlengthwise .of

the egg in its pocket is absolutely prevented. By suspending eggs inthis manner in each of the pockets by means of yielding members a casecontaining eggs may be handled very roughly in transportation withoutany danger of damaging the eggs in transit. The tray is so constructedthat even with the additional strips 18 and 22 it may be collapsed inthesame manner that the ordinary tray is collapsed before the additionalstrips have been added thereto.-

H'eretofore, where the eggs are packed'in the ordinary cases a filli'ngof yielding material is required at the bottom of each case,

while a separating sheet. of material is essential between thesuccessivetrays. This filling material and these separators are entirelyunnecessary in connection with the present device for the simple reasonthat the eggs are all suspended centrally in the pockets and cannot movetherein into con- 1. In a device of the class described, the 1combination of a collapsible tray having a plurality of egg receivingpockets; and means within each pocket consisting of two pairs of fiatparallel yielding strips extendmg across said pocket at rightangles toeach other and at different levels adapted to centrally position an eggfree from contact with the walls thereof.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a collapsibletray having a plurality of egg receiving pocket-s; fiat members at oneend of said pockets adapted to conform to the shape of the larger end ofsaid eggs thereby preventing end movement thereof and contact with thewalls of said pockets; and means at the other end of said pockets forpositioning the smaller end of the eggs. 1

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a collapsibletray havin a plurality of egg receiving pockets; yielda le flat membersat one end of said pockets conforming to the shape of the larger end ofsaid eggs and preventing the contact thereof withthe walls of saidpockets; and means consisting of a pair of flat members at thecombination with a tray having a plurality of rows of egg receivingpockets; two parallel yielding flat strips extending across one end ofeach row of pockets removed" from the walls thereof and adapted forslight end movement; and two arallel yielding flat strips at rightangles t ereto extending across the opposite ends of said pocketsremoved from the walls thereof and adapted for slight end movement.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a trayhaving a plurality of rows of egg receiving pockets; two parallelyielding flat strips extending across one end of each row of pocketsremoved from the walls thereof and adapted for slight end movement; andtwo parallel yielding fiat strips at right angles thereto. extendingacross the opposite ends of said pockets removed from the walls thereofand adapted for slight end movement, the outer edges of both sets ofstrips lying within the outer edges of the walls of said pockets. 6. Ina device of the class described, the combination of a plurality ofinterlocked partitions at right angles to each other forming acollapsible tray; a pair of yielding parallel flat strips interposedbetween adjacent partitions and adapted to position the larger end ofeggs placed between said interlocked partitions; and a pair of similaryielding flat strips at right angles to the first mentioned strips andadapted to position the smaller end of said eggs.

' 7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pluralityof interlocked partitions at right angles to each other forming acollapsible tray; a pair of yielding parallel flat strips interposedbetween adj acent partitions and adapted to position the larger end ofeggs placed between said interlocked partitions; and a pair of similaryielding fiat strips at right angles to the first mentioned strips.

8. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a tray having a plurality of egg receiving pockets; apair of separated yielding flat strips extending across one end of eachpocket removed from the Walls thereof, and a pair of similar flat stripsat right angles thereto extending through the opposite end of eachpocket less separated than those at the other end.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a plurality ofparallel members having a plurality of slots in the upper edge thereofin groups of three; a second set of members at right angles thereto andinterlocked therewith in the central slot.

of each group, each provided with two slots in the lower edge thereofintermediate said parallel members; a plurality of narrow strips in theother slots of said parallel members; and a plurality of narrow stripsin the slots of the other set of members.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pluralityof parallel memand interlocked therewith in the central.

slot of each group, each provided with two inclined slots in the loweredge thereof intermediate said parallel members; a plurality of narrowstrips in the other slots of said parallel members; and a plurality ofnarrow strips in said inclined slots.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pluralityof parallel members having a plurality of slots in the upper partthereof in groups of three; a second set of members at right anglesthereto and interlocked therewith in the central slot of each group,each provided with two slots in the lower part thereof intermediate saidparallel members; a plurality of narrow fiat strips in the other slotsof said parallel members; and a plurality of narrow fiat itrips in theslots of the other set of memers.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tray havinga plurality of egg receiving pockets, each wall of each pocket beingprovided with two slits; and flatstrips movable endwise in said slitsand adapted to yield laterally.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination of a tray havinga plurality of egg receiving pockets, each wall of each pocket beingprovided with two slits, one set of parallel walls having its slits inthe upper part thereof while the walls perpendicular to said parallelwalls have their slits in the lower part thereof; and flat stripsmovable endwise in said slits and adapted to yield laterally.

Signed by me at 4 P. 0. Sq., Boston, Mass, this ninth day. of J anuary,1913.

J B. WARREN.

Witnesses:

WALTER E. LOMBARD, NATHAN C. LOMBARD.

